You Look Good in Red
by Peace215
Summary: During Yakone's time in Republic City, two members are tasked with gathering evidence of his illegal bloodbending. But their secret mission dredges up more than just criminal behavior between the two.


**Disclaimer:** If this was mine, Zuko and Katara would've been together. At some point. Even if they didn't last. They would've been together. So, they weren't, so not mine.

 **AN:** Complete fluff. Bittersweet, angst-filled fluff. I have to be honest, some things about Korra royally upset me and I never finished watching season three or four. But! I did see parts with Zuko and it got me all sorts of excited. I still like the idea of Katara and Zuko together – comics, cartoons, and writers be damned. So here's my unrequited love attempt during canon.

 _You Look Good in Red_

* * *

Her eyes are painted with a thick black paste, flaring up at the end. The blueness of her orbs is a stark contrast to the red silks she favors, which slide over her body like waves on the sand. Her thick dark curls are piled high on to her head, a few rebellious ones framing her round visage, drawing attention to her thick, red painted lips.

He hides in the corner as she dances, silk scarves twirling around her. Though she is not alone – three other dancers leap on to the stage with her – he only notices her.

He hasn't seen her in years. Their letters to each other are brief and few between. She is a mother of three healthy, overactive children, a wife to the Avatar and he is a leader of a country, with a very cunning and smart daughter to keep track of.

But he can't help looking at her, as her hips sway, as the dress pushes and pulls on to her dark skin. She is curvier than she was at his wedding years ago. She's older too; with fine grey hairs weaved into her curls. He sees the signs of age only because he knows they should be there. No one else would see what he does.

But her eyes are still sharp and beautiful and it knocks the wind out of him.

Slowly he moves in the shadows, keeping his hood down. He knows why they're there. They both agreed to help Toph and Aang capture Yakone. They needed proof that he was a blood bender without a full moon.

And the only way to draw him out is with a pretty girl they learned. And Katara could pass for a pretty girl any day of the week.

Keeping to the bar, he waves for more fire whiskey, and continues to watch Katara. It's her second dance of the night – second of five – and he sees the criminal mastermind move toward the stage. Katara is his main focus now.

He couldn't blame him. Zuko could barely keep from drooling.

The song finishes, and Yakone stands. He grabs Katara by the wrist, twisting her chest to collide with his'. He speaks a few words, drawing a breathy chuckle from the waterbender. As his smile grows, Zuko knows they have him.

It doesn't take long. Katara follows him back to his private office only one more dance later, above the club. She subdues him with her own bloodbending, to which he fires back. She slams into the far wall, but hurriedly shakes it off as Zuko enters. He bends fires at the criminal's head, and Katara knocks him out.

They have their evidence. Now Katara needs only to tell Sokka before Toph and Aang pick him up the next day. But the night is still early, and it's been a very long time before they have seen each other.

They run through the streets, his hood falling back, and her scarves floating away into the night. They laugh and giggle like they did years earlier. Memories of hunting through the night for criminals of past misdeeds flood them, but they ignore the pain in favor of the fun of it all. That night seems so long ago but to them it is fresh, and they are teens again, they're with lives on the line again. The adrenaline is intoxicating.

They stop short, behind a building, blocks away from Yakone. He'll wake up soon enough but Zuko will be on a ship for his nation, and Katara will be on her island. They don't worry about him knowing who they are but smile, and breath in the fresh night air.

"I haven't laughed like that…" Zuko trails off. His smile is blinding. "Well. In years."

"I know the feeling," she says. Her eye makeup is coming off, but her eyes are still beautiful. Zuko can't help but lean closer to see the sky above reflected in them.

He stops short, just as their chests touch and her lips brush his'. She smells like sweat and spicy perfume mixed with cold ocean water. He hasn't smelled her scent in years. Briefly his heart pangs as he realizes how badly he misses it; before every night's slumber and during every morning sparring session in their shared youths on Ember Island.

He pulls back abruptly. This is Katara, his best friend's wife. He had been there when Sokka had given them his blessings, before they pledge their loyalty to each other. He had been there for the birth of her second child, in the hut of her homeland. He shakes his head to clear it.

"Kya is getting bold now, in her old age." Katara says, breathless. She's looking at his lips but is talking about her daughter. It was safer talking about their children. Children born from other unions.

"She has your attitude." He replies, easing against the brick. He is sweating. "It doesn't surprise me."

"Were you going to kiss me?"

He pauses. Swallows. "Yes."

Sadly, she sighs. "If you had years ago, things would be very different right now."

It's as close to an admission as she'll ever say. He wants her to say how she's loved him all along. He wants her to admit that she wishes her children were his', that Izumi was her daughter too. And he knows she wishes he had kissed her that he had after he saved her – and she saved him from Azula's fire.

But they don't. Because too much time has passed; and they both have their own lives to live.

"You look good in red."

"And you'd look good in blue, Zuko."

* * *

 **AN:** Don't ask. I'm pouting at their fates. I don't care how much the writers add to canon; Katara and Zuko are head canon for me. Blah.

Drop me a line.

Peace


End file.
